The IJN battlecruiser Kongo was laid down on January 17, 1911 at Vickers, Sons & Co. at Barrow-in-Furness. The ship's hull was launched on May 18, 1912 and on August 16, 1913 the vessel entered service with the Imperial Japanese Navy.

In the years after she had been launched the Kongo had undergone two major reconstructions, each having a deep impact on the ship's characteristics and her overall arrangement.